One Month: Caroline

Dear Caroline, 

Today you're one month old! What a month it's been. I have enjoyed your newborn stage on a deeper level than I ever have in the past and I just can't get enough. I think it's because I know now how fast it all goes (you're brother is turning six in a few days!) and I want to soak up every last drop of your baby stage! You've also just been a super easy baby, so that helps! :)

From the very first night in the hospital, you've given us at least one four hour stretch of sleep. In fact, there have only been two nights in the past month that you've kept us up for several hours over night. Just two. You fall asleep pretty easily and you stay asleep when we put you down. When you wake up to eat overnight, you fall right back to sleep and sleep soundly until the next time you're hungry. Seriously, you've just been super easy. Thank you, thank you, thank you! :)

You've also been an excellent nurser since the beginning. During the day, you eat about every two hours in the morning, but as the day progresses you go about 2 1/2 to 3 hour stretches. The most difficult issue is to keep you awake when you eat. Sometimes, I have to get obnoxious just to get you wake up and finish.

I've been trying to implement a eat, play, sleep schedule with you; but your sometimes, it's more of a sleep, eat, sleep, eat schedule! You're most awake in the evenings when your big brother and sister go to bed. I think it's a combination of the house being much more calm and quiet and us being more available to give you undivided attention. 

You're big siblings adore you. Jackson has taken upon himself to teach you all he knows. He's been telling you about what to learn in kindergarten and has given you fair warning to not use bathroom words at school (a lesson he's learned the hard way). Isabelle introduces herself to you every day, "Hey, I'm your big sister!" Whenever we are out running errands, she'll tell anyone she can about her baby sister. They both love to hold you and both like to read you books. You are so blessed to have them!

We have your one month check up tomorrow! The scale at home says you're up to 8 pounds, 12 ounces. You just started wearing size 1 diapers, but that's just because we're out of newborns and we have a ton of diapers (thanks to wonderful diaper shower a few weeks ago!). You love to be swaddled for sleeping and sometimes even for your awake time too. As for a pacifier, sometimes you love it. Sometimes you want nothing to do with it!  You don't like tummy time and you prefer to be held by someone standing up. 

It's been a great month from welcoming you into our family and to getting to know your little personality. We thank God that he's given you to us and can't wait to watch you grow! 

Love, 

Mommy